Tim Henman thinks Emma Raducanu must focus on two things in the upcoming period and that’s bringing in a new coach and also focusing on improving her fitness level because she simply needs to play more.
After suffering an early setback and missing Auckland due to a back injury, the world No. 56 won two Australian Open matches but then got annihilated 1-6 0-6 by Iga Swiatek.
A couple of days later, it was announced that coach Nick Cavaday was leaving her team because he was dealing with some health issues and wanted to spend more time with his family.
Emma Raducanu and Nick Cavaday© BBC Sport/X – Fair Use
And Raducanu’s first tournament without Cavaday didn’t go well since she picked up a surprise 7-5 5-7 5-7 loss to 101st-ranked Cristina Bucsa in the Singapore first round.
In the offseason, the 22-year-old added Maria Sharapova’s former strength and conditioning coach Yutaka Nakamura to her team.
But as mentioned above, their collaboration didn’t get off to the best possible way after she sustained a back injury.
Henman’s advice to Raducanu after her early Singapore exit
“It’s for her and her team to look at. I think she needs a coach,” the former six-time Grand Slam semifinalist said, via Express-Sport.
“I think it’s great that she’s now got a fitness trainer on board because which is the priority, is it technical, physical, or mental? I think it’s physical – to build up that resilience – so that she can compete, week in, week out.
“I never really felt like it’s been an issue of her level. I think, when she has played, her level has always been very, very good.”
In the same interview, Henman also noted that Raducanu played “so few” matches outside the grass season and highlighted that she needed to build up that physical resistance so she could play much more.
Meanwhile, the Briton is set to compete at next week’s Abu Dhabi Open after receiving a wildcard.
Tennis World USA